The Report
by Knight-Ander
Summary: Obi-Wan and Anakin return to Senator Amidala's apartment to report what they've learned from an assassin.


_This is a missing scene vignette from Attack of the Clones where Obi-Wan and Anakin report back to Senator Amidala after the speeder chase through Coruscant. It was originally written nearly ten years ago._

**The Report**

"That slot there, Master," Jedi Padawan Anakin Skywalker said as they returned to the Senatorial Quarters parkway where he had "borrowed" the one-of-a-kind custom speeder. "I hope Senator Greyshade doesn't hear about this."

"Did you know this was his speeder when you took it?" Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi asked as he carefully maneuvered the craft into its assigned parking slot.

The two Jedi were recently assigned to protect Senator Padmé Amidala of Naboo, an old friend the Jedi had not seen since they helped to free the former Queen of Naboo's planet from an invasive Trade Federation force, after an assassination attempt on her life earlier in the day. The leader of the opposition against the Republic's Military Creation Act, the young senator had no shortage of enemies wishing to silence her, and on their first night on the job, the Jedi were forced to foil another attempt, preventing two poisonous _kouhun_ arthropods from biting her while she slept. After Anakin carefully but quickly sliced away the creatures from the senator's sleeping form, Obi-Wan discovered the assassin droid that had delivered the creatures waiting outside the bedroom window. Before it could escape, the Jedi master crashed through the window and grabbed the droid, hoping it would lead him back to its owner. When the senator's bodyguards arrived, Anakin left her quarters to find a way to help his master, which was when he found the perfect pursuit vehicle in the Senatorial parking zone.

"Not until we found the ownership papers in the glove-compartment, Master," Anakin answered. "I have heard of the senator's, um, after-hour activities, but I never knew what his speeder looked like."

A lop-sided grin came to Obi-Wan's face. "After-hour antics would be the proper phrase. The senator from Vorzyd spends more time in places where I expect to find you than where I would expect to find a galactic senator."

Anakin put on a mock look of hurt. "I've told you, Master, I've never seen the senator's speeder before. I rarely look in the rearview display."

Obi-Wan shook his head as he shut the speeder down and climbed out of it. "Well, he may not notice it's been moved when he sees it in the morning."

"Unless he notices the scratches you put on it when you got in it," Anakin replied, affectionately brushing a hand over the rear spoiler.

"And you driving it through those power-couplings may not have done any damage, either."

Anakin quickly changed the subject. "We should report to Senator Amidala immediately."

The smile remained on Obi-Wan's face as he followed his padawan to the lift that would take them to Senator Amidala's penthouse apartment.

Eventually, Obi-Wan and Anakin found the owner of the assassin droid and chased her a hundred kilometers and into the Entertainment District where they finally caught her in a gambling den called The Outlander Nightclub. While the Jedi interrogated the Clawdite bounty hunter, another bounty hunter killed her from a great distance with a toxic dart that flew between Anakin and Obi-Wan and into the Clawdite's throat, escaping before they could do anything about it. After turning the dead bounty hunter's body over to the local judiciaries, some who happened to be patrolling Vos Gesal Street outside the club at the time, and climbed into the commandeered speeder to return and report their findings to the senator from Naboo.

"Careful, Master," Anakin said as he rearranged his already perfectly arranged tunic. "There may still be poison on the dart's tip."

"You're sweating, again," Obi-Wan said without looking at his padawan, examining the dart he was bouncing in the palm of his hand. "You're letting your concentration slip."

Wiping his sweaty palms on his trousers, Anakin engrossed himself in breathing exercises as the lift rapidly ascended.

Padmé Amidala was usually not a worrier, but the Jedi had been gone for over an hour, and even though she had initially thought they would not be necessary to protect her, she had quickly changed her mind after this latest attempt on her life. She had told them that she wanted to know who was trying to kill her, and she meant it. Now, the culprit was within their grasp, and she was eager to learn who it was. Despite reassurances by the Jedi, the senator believed that Separatist leader Count Dooku was somehow involved, wanting to instigate a war with the Republic. Padmé did not want to die a martyr.

"The Jedi have finally returned," Captain Typho, the senator's one-eyed security chief said, returning his comlink to his belt. "They should be up in a minute."

The senator finally stopped her pacing and arranged herself on a settee in the middle of the apartment's living space to wait for the Jedi, her handmaiden taking a position at her back. "You may have my room for the rest of the night, Mi'lady," Dormé said. "I do not think I will be able to sleep the rest of the night."

"The night is still young," Padmé said, turning to pat Dormé's hand. "I'm sure the Jedi will be able to assure us that the danger is over." She noticed Captain Typho roll his neck in a silent gesture of disagreement, but said nothing as the lift door opened and the Jedi arrived.

"What have you learned?" Typho asked the Jedi Master as they entered the room.

"There may be more to the attempt on the senator's life than we initially thought," Obi-Wan told Typho as if the senator was not even in the room. His padawan slowly circled the living area, finally coming to a stop behind the settee across from Padmé, his intense, blue-eyed gaze examining her for any injury she may have obtained in his rescue attempt.

"Are you all right, Padmé? I apologize if I frightened you earlier," Anakin told her, those eyes drawing her in hypnotically.

"No," she said, drawing her robe tighter around her nightgown. "I am fine. You did startle me earlier, but you should not worry. I am pleased you two were there for me." She tried not to let her nervousness show as she took a deep breath. The way Anakin was watching her was disquieting, making her heart race for reasons she was having trouble understanding. Men had stared at her before, but this...

This was different.

Heads turned as a pair of Judiciary analysis droids drifted out of the senator's bedroom carrying four translucent tubes containing the remains of the creatures sent to attack the senator. A third followed with a vacuumed-sealed packet. "We will have a complete report for you in the morning, Senator," the lead droid said, addressing Padmé. "The creatures secreted some possibly poisonous fluids on the sheets," it said, indicating the third droid. "We will be taking those in for analysis and your protection, too. We found no other signs of poison or immediate danger."

"Thank you. Will you also report your findings to Master Kenobi," Padmé said, gesturing in Obi-Wan's direction.

The droid's photo-receptors turned to examine the Jedi and nodded. "As you wish, Senator. The results will be turned in to your security force as well as the Jedi."

"Now, what do you mean by more to the attempt on my life than you initially thought, Master Obi-Wan?" The senator adjusted her position on the settee to face the Jedi as the droids left the room.

"Our sources believed that the attack on your ship earlier today was done by disgruntled spice miners from Naboo's moons," Obi-Wan explained.

"So Master Windu told me earlier," Senator Amidala said. "I told him I thought Count Dooku may be behind the attacks. He explained that as a former Jedi, it was not in his nature to devise such a scheme. What I think Master Windu didn't understand, was the fact that Count Dooku _use to be_ a Jedi. His nature has obviously changed."

Obi-Wan nodded understanding, though he was not happy with the conclusion. "Master Qui-Gon Jinn was once Dooku's padawan." Anakin's eyebrows shot up. This was news to him. "He had a falling out with the Jedi Order after my master's death. It was a great loss since the Force was so strong in him." He briefly glanced at Anakin, another Jedi with great potential in the Force. "I sometimes wish he had talked to me before leaving the Order," he continued, addressing the senator. "I'm sure there would have been some way I could have changed his mind."

"Count Dooku was one of only twenty Jedi to leave the Order," Anakin said to deliberately draw Padmé's attention back to him. "The Lost Twenty are immortalized with specially commissioned busts in the Jedi Archives. I would be honored to give you a tour at your request, Padmé."

Obi-Wan's face indicated his displeasure at Anakin's offer, but said nothing.

"I appreciate the offer, Jedi Skywalker," Senator Amidala said. "But I have the Military Creation Act to worry about first. When I have the time, I will probably take you up on your offer."

Obi-Wan erased his frown, pleased at the way the senator politely put Anakin in his place without him having to chastise his padawan in her presence. "As I was saying, our initial belief was that it may have been miners from Naboo who were involved on the attack on your ship earlier today."

"But something has changed your mind to think otherwise," the senator said, dragging her eyes from Anakin's to look at Obi-Wan.

"Yes. It seems the bounty hunter that was responsible for this latest attack was hired by another bounty hunter who has a taste for unique weapons," he said, showing the toxic dart to Captain Typho who took it and studied it carefully. "It is not a standard issue weapon that I am familiar with. I will ask the analysis droids at the Jedi Temple to look into it. We should probably have the information on file."

"Then an official investigation into the attempts on Senator Amidala will be ordered?" Typho said as he handed the dart back to Obi-Wan.

"The Jedi Council cannot deny the findings Anakin and I have made here. We will give them our report while you are at the Senate tomorrow, Senator Amidala."

Padmé released a breath she had not realized she was holding and stood. "Thank you, Master Kenobi," she swiveled her gaze to Anakin, brushing her sweaty palms over her hips. "Jedi Skywalker. Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe the adrenaline in me created by tonight's events has finally worn off, so I will try to get some more sleep to prepare myself for tomorrow's session in the senate. Dormé has been kind enough to offer me her room for the rest of the night."

As the handmaiden led her mistress away, Obi-Wan said, "I have one more thing to ask you, Senator."

Padmé stopped and turned noticing that Anakin had followed her, obviously preparing to post himself outside her new room. For some reason, although Anakin's gaze had made her heart flutter and her hand's sweat, she felt very relieved knowing he would be nearby once again. "Yes, Master Kenobi?"

The image of his padawan and the senator standing so close to each other seemed disturbingly right to Obi-Wan, but also very wrong. Politicians were not to be trusted, he had always thought. How would this young woman influence his young padawan? "The next time you come up with a plan to use yourself as bait for an attack, please let me know."

The senator and padawan exchanged looks, but it was her handmaiden who was upset. "Mi'lady! Without Cordé, the honor of being your decoy falls to me. I agree with the Jedi, but you must consult me as well."

Captain Typho was no happier. "My uncle's plan to use decoys has been very effective, Senator," he said, referring to Captain Panaka, Naboo's security chief. "It would dishonor him and me if you would take his plan for granted again."

Obi-Wan could easily sense how uncomfortable she was at disappointing her loyal staff although she did not show it outwardly. "I understand, Captain, Dormé," she said by way of apology. "It will not happen again." Padmé glanced at Anakin, seeming to ask for his support.

"I will remember to consult you before we try anything like that again, Master," Anakin said, pulling his eyes away from the senator who drew herself away from him to find her new quarters.

Several minutes later, Obi-Wan found himself alone in the living area, gazing at the lights of Coruscant, wondering what the Jedi Council would ask of him and his padawan next.

_End_


End file.
